The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1887-09-16

read this letter there Is probably not one
who has as many dollars as there are
bricks in the interior construction of this
big building, and if could have the cost
Of half q dozen different rooms should
consider myself very well off. Each of
the four main wings has two stairways,
and the balustrade of each of these stair
ways cost $4,000 The rails are of the
finest mahogany, and cost more than 81
foot, and the posts which uphold them
are elegant brass affairs, each the size of
baseball club. These eight stairways
have cost $72, 900 for their balustrades,
and when you count in the stones of the
masonry they will run to considerably
more than this. The stairs of the north
wing alone cost $33, 900, and its floors
more than twice this amount. Its granite
work cost more than $1,000,000, and its
roof more than 100000. The plumbing
and gas fitting of this wing equals as
many dollars as there are soldiers in the
United States army, and the bricks COM
posing it cost sol, 600.
***
The doors which enter the offices cost
over 5000 each. They are of South
American mahogany, made by hand;
the total cost Of them must run into the
hundreds of thousands, and it is impossi-
BILE to describe the beauties of the iron
and wood work which look down upon
you from every side. The naval library
Of the east wing Is made up entirely of
iron and stone, and its castings resemble
the handsomest Of wood carvings. 1t has
bronze panels set into its walls, which are
equal to anything the United States can
show, and it is made up of marble from
the Southern Alps, from France and Min
nesota. Its floor is of Minton tiles.
**#
This building is perfectly tireproof. 1t
Is made entirely of iron and stone, with
the exception of skin of boards laid over
the stone floors of the offices for the COM
fort of the clerks, the mahogany doors and
the wooden stair rail spoken of above.
The castings of the doors and windows are
of iron, and the weight of the iron in the
castings is 2,00O tons-as great rs that Of
10000 men of 200 pounds each. The roof
Is of iron and cement, and its water works
are such that o stream of water could be
turned into any room at moments no.
tice. Throughout the various corridors
you see great coils of hose, with nozzles
upon them, hung up on the wall, and the
structure of the building is such that fire
in any one room could not be carried to
others except by the doorway. The build
ing is perhaps the most healthful habita-
ton in Washington. Its ventilation is
perfect, and its walls inclose network of
air shafts of all sizes and of the latest in
vention. Before the work was commenced
provisions were made for complete sys-
tenn. and it was known exactly where
every fiue, every gas pipe, every sewer
pipe and every wire should go. The result
t. =, nf nrx nrn
ible. but they extend throughout the build
ing under the floors and through the walls.
The wires are arranged SO that per-
feet system of communication can be
kept up with the different parts of the
structure Secretary Whitney can touch
q button and ring bell which will call to
him q man who is working perhaps
third of o mile away, and Secretary Endi-
colt by similar touch can stop the
elevator so that he need not wait in the
hall when he wishes to 60 to lower floor.
This system of communication is provided
for nearly every one having clerks under
him, and an immense amount OF time Is
thus saved. a**
The heating is done by hot water, which
Superintendent Snyder says is better than
steam. and an equable temperature is
kept up the year round. II the weather
is a little damp, water at the temperature
of 9S degs. is distributed throughout the
building and the arrangements are such
that the heat can be graduated to de-
gree. Speaking of the heating. the base
meut contains several steam engines, ana
under the courtyard there is labyrinth
of vaults for coal. Fifteen hundred tons
can be stored here at once, and moving
about through these vaults and the base
ment is like going through great subtcr-
ranean cavern.
This great building lies in the very
heart of the capital. To the right is the
white House, and facing it stands the Cor
coron Art gallery, with its marble statues
looking out at it from their mcnes IN .ne
walls. At its left begins what was once
the fashionable part of Washington, ana
standing at its western side you can see
the octagon house in which Col Jonn
Taylor. one of the millionaires OF Madi-
sons days, lived, and containing the room
in which Madison signed the treaty OF
Gbent, Just below it lies the presidents
stables and the wide Potomac with It's
h,,ndreds OF acres of reclaimed HATS
Here also is Davy Burns cottage, where
lived the testy old Scotchman whose pig
farm was cut up to make this part OF tne
city of washington, and beside TINS IS lne
Van Ness mansion, where Aiexanaef
Hamilton and Aaron Burr used 20 eau %
nav their compliments to the Scotchmans
ggagghter who had nt this time married
e con ongressrnan from New York. The whole